coordinator’s notes - ib documents documents/coordinators... · 2019-06-29 · coursework into...

Coordinator’s notes

Information for Diploma Programme coordinators and teachers

In this issue:

News

Curriculum review

Core

Languages

Individuals and societies

Sciences

Mathematics

The arts

Legalization of Diploma Programme results

DP curriculum development and review cycles

IB on the web

NewsFor general International Baccalaureate (IB) news and information—for example, research news and professional development (PD) opportunities—please refer to IB Global News, which provides general news for the IB community, and IB in Practice, which focuses on IB teaching practice and provides current details on IB curriculum, assessment, programme news and the IB educator network (IBEN). Archived issues of both newsletters can be found on the public website at www.ibo.org/en/news/newsletter-from-the-ib/. Coordinators will automatically receive these newsletters via email using the email address that they have entered into the IB Information System (IBIS).

Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2017The 2017 edition of the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme, updated in November 2016, features a reorganized scheme of contents.

A new feature for this year is a range of icons, indicating new content, amended content and calendar updates. These are now indicated visually to help handbook users identify this content quickly and easily.

The content of the handbook has been reorganized to reflect a more logical progression from registration to results. The new sections are as follows.

• A0 Introduction

• A1 Introducing the IB Diploma Programme

• A2 Essential information

• A3 Before registration

• A4 Registration and entries

• A5 Coursework assessment

• A6 Examinations

• A7 Results and certificates

• A8 Summary calendar of key dates

The subject-specific sections within section B remain the same as in previous years.

These changes are part of a programme of improvements to the handbooks, which will be continued in the 2018 editions, available in August 2017.

Restriction on the support for film, social and cultural anthropology and music in FrenchIn accordance with annex 2 of the IB language policy (www.ibo.org/language-policy), the language policy committee of the IB has considered its assessment offering in the IB working languages for a series of Diploma Programme courses that have curriculum reviews finishing in 2017 and 2018. To reach its decision, the committee reviewed the candidacy number in each response language over an extended period to determine whether the offer was viable and sustainable.

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2017 1

February 2017

http://www.ibo.org/en/news/newsletter-from-the-ib/

http://www.ibo.org/en/news/newsletter-from-the-ib/

http://www.ibo.org/language-policy

http://www.ibo.org/language-policy

Diploma Programme Coordinator’s notes, February 2017

As a result of this analysis, the committee agreed that assessment of the new course for the following subjects will only be offered in French as a special request:

• film (for first examinations in 2019)

• social and cultural anthropology (for first examinations in 2019)

• music (for first examinations in 2020).

Therefore, no curriculum material will be produced in French for these subjects for the duration of the curriculum review cycle. Should interest in these subjects change significantly, the IB will revisit its decision.

Digital publicationsThere are now four websites available on the OCC for different areas of the DP.

• Approaches to teaching and learning in the Diploma Programme

• Environmental systems and societies subject website (first assessment 2017)

• Global politics subject website (first assessment 2017)

• Extended essay website (first assessment 2018)

Each website contains a variety of teacher resources including guides, teacher support materials (TSMs), case studies, practical guidance and videos, and assessment support material, where appropriate. More materials will be added over the coming months, and teachers are encouraged to visit the websites regularly.

In addition to the four websites already available on the OCC, four new subject websites will be launched in February 2017 for film, geography, psychology and social and cultural anthropology.

Declarations of authenticityAs the IB moves towards receiving more candidate (internally and externally assessed) coursework electronically, it is trying to eliminate many of the forms that were submitted to examiners with the work, in order to reduce the amount of administrative work for schools.

However, one administrative task that is essential is the need to obtain candidates’ confirmation of authenticity of the work they submit for assessment.

The IB coursework upload system allows IB coordinators or school administrators to upload work on behalf of candidates. The system requires the teacher or coordinator uploading on behalf of candidates to confirm that they have received signed declarations of authenticity from each candidate for every item of coursework submitted.

It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that these declarations have been properly made, recorded and stored, and that they are available to the IB if the authenticity of the work is called into question during the assessment process.

Schools must ensure that the authentication from a candidate is for the work submitted for assessment. No replacement work will be accepted by the IB after the authenticity of a piece of work is called into question or the deadline for submission has passed.

It is a regrettable fact that, each session, the IB has to disqualify a number of students for plagiarism or collusion who claim that the work submitted was, in fact, an early draft and that the school made an error in the upload. Such students sometimes seek legal redress from their schools.

Changes to moderation of internal assessmentSchools are already electronically submitting samples of some internal assessments to the IB. By November 2016, the IB wants to receive almost all internal assessment samples electronically. Receiving work in this way gives the IB the opportunity to quality assure examiners’ moderation standards in the same way that marking standards are assured for script components.

Beginning with internally assessed theory of knowledge (TOK) presentation forms and information technology in a global society (ITGS) internal assessments in November 2015, the IB began to use a new and improved system for the moderation of internal assessments called “dynamic sampling”.

Teachers will enter student marks for internally assessed coursework into IBIS as they do now. After these marks have been entered, a moderation sample will be requested by IBIS, just as it is now. Rather than mailing the sample to an examiner, the sample will instead be uploaded to IBIS.

The deadlines for submission of the moderation sample will continue to be 20 April for the May examination session and 20 October for the November examination session. The work of the same number of candidates will be required for the samples.

• Where there are fewer than 6 candidates for a subject, all the work will be requested by IBIS.

• Where there are 6–20 candidates, 5 samples will be requested.

• Where there are 21–40 candidates, 8 samples will be requested.

• Where there are more than 40 candidates, 10 samples will be requested.

Examiners will view and mark samples of candidates’ work on screen. The quality of examiners’ moderation will be assured by practice, qualification and seeding, in the same way that examiners’ marking is already quality assured for examination scripts and some externally assessed coursework. Examiners will have to mark examples of work definitively marked by the principal examiner to the same standard as the principal examiner (within a margin of tolerance) in order to qualify to mark candidate work. Further examples of work definitively marked by the principal examiner will be interspersed with



work each examiner receives for moderation. As long as an examiner begins and continues to mark work to the same standard as the principal examiner (within a margin of tolerance), he or she can continue to mark candidate samples. If an examiner does not consistently apply the same standard as the principal examiner, the examiner is prevented from moderating further samples by the electronic marking software until his or her application of the assessment criteria is realigned by discussion with a senior examiner.

Just as a margin of tolerance will be applied to examiners’ moderation, a margin of tolerance will also be applied to teachers’ marking. If teachers apply the assessment criteria in the same way as the principal examiner and his or her team, their total marks for each candidate will not be adjusted. Where a teacher’s marks lie outside the margin of tolerance, a statistical adjustment will be applied to the marks awarded to all candidates in the school. Where more than one teacher is involved in marking the same type of internally assessed work in a school, such as the TOK presentation, it is essential that teachers within the school carefully standardize their marking. In this way, any moderation adjustment made on the basis of the sample is fair to candidates whose work is not included in the sample.

The “dynamic sampling” moderation process is described in the following diagram.

Are the initial sample of teachers marks

within tolerance?

NO

Candidate marks used to award grade

Teacher’s marks adjustedFurther work sampled and moderation factor

calculated

Teacher suggests a mark for each candidate’s work

Sample sent to IB

YES Teacher’s marks

accepted

Because examiners will be applying the same standard as that of the principal examiner, they can give more accurate and useful feedback to schools about their moderation samples. The IB intends to provide very similar training for moderators and teachers in order to give teachers the best prospect of marking to the global standard and having their marks upheld in the moderation process.

IB examiner recruitmentExamining for the IB provides a unique professional development opportunity. IB examiners learn about the assessment process and how it is applied in their subjects.

Furthermore, they can see how our international body of students use differing methods to approach the assessment tasks within their subjects.

We welcome all teachers to become examiners for the IB. We accept applications for all subjects, however, we are particularly interested in recruiting examiners in the following subjects:

Subject

Dutch A: literature Information technology in a global society in Spanish

Danish A: literature Literature and performance

Film Malay A: literature

French A: language and literature

Portuguese A: literature

French A: literature Psychology

German A: language and literature

Sports, exercise and health science in Spanish

Global politics Theatre

History Visual arts

Hungarian A: literature World religions in Spanish

Indonesian A: literature World studies extended essay

Indonesian A: language and literature

School-based-syllabuses

Astronomy

Marine science

World arts and cultures

More information on the role, the IB examiner recruitment policy and online application form can be found on the IB website: www.ibo.org/examiners.

Curriculum review

Business management curriculum reviewThe curriculum review for business management is in the initial stages of developing an updated course, for first teaching in 2021. As part of our ongoing commitment to collaboration and consultation, the IB is looking for business management teachers who would like to become involved in the curriculum review process.


http://www.ibo.org/examiners


Review and development meetings will start in 2017, examining the existing course and looking for opportunities for further development.

Teachers interested in participating in the development of the subject are invited to write a letter outlining their experience, explaining why they wish to be involved and how they could contribute to the review. In addition, it is important to highlight at least one area in the current DP business management course that should be changed, removed or added and briefly explain why. The letter, together with a curriculum vitae (CV), should be submitted by email to [email protected]. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2017.

ITGS curriculum reviewThe curriculum review for the new information technology in a global society (ITGS) course, scheduled for first teaching in 2021, is in its initial stages.

As part of the IB’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and consultation, the IB is looking for ITGS teachers—as well as teachers with an interest in the relationship between individuals, societies and technology and/or digital and internet cultures—to become involved in the curriculum review process.

Teachers interested in taking part in meetings from October 2017 onwards are invited to submit their CV along with a short expression of interest.

CVs and expressions of interest should be submitted by email to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is 31 June 2017.

Sports, exercise and health science curriculum reviewThe curriculum review and development for DP sports, exercise and health science (SEHS) has started with research and evaluation by the academic and assessment divisions.

As part of our ongoing commitment to collaboration and consultation, the IB wishes to invite teachers of SEHS to become involved in the review process of examining the existing course and looking for opportunities for further development. The development meetings will commence in early 2018.

Teachers interested in taking part in the curriculum review process are invited to submit the following.

• A CV to include experience of teaching DP SEHS as well as any other experience of teaching in different national systems.

• A few paragraphs highlighting one area in the current DP SEHS course that they would like to change or that would benefit from further development.

This expression of interest should be submitted by email to [email protected]. The deadline for applications is 31 May 2017.

Visual arts curriculum reviewThe curriculum review for the next version of the visual arts course, scheduled for first teaching in 2022, is in its initial stages.

As part of the IB’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and consultation, the IB is looking for visual arts teachers to become involved in the curriculum review process.

Teachers interested in taking part in meetings from December 2017 onwards are invited to submit their CVs along with a short expression of interest.

CVs and expressions of interest should be submitted by email to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2017.

Core

Extended essayThe new iteration of the extended essay began in 2016 for first assessment in 2018. The guide and teacher support material are presented through a dedicated EE website, which can be accessed via the “Extended essay” and “World studies extended essay” pages of the OCC. Please note that the new microsite provides all the guidance and support material for both disciplinary extended essays and the world studies extended essay.

Amendments to subject-specific guidanceIn order to better place advice regarding assessment of the selection, use and application of sources, some minor edits have been made to the guidance provided on the dedicated EE website for some criteria in some subjects. For details of these updates, please follow this link: https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/extendedessay/apps/dpapp/guide.html?doc=d_0_eeyyy_gui_1602_1_e&part=7&chapter=1

Availability of extended essay exemplars and subject reports on the OCCCoordinators are advised to make use of the extended essay exemplars available on the OCC. These can be found on the respective course page of the relevant subject and by scrolling down to the section entitled “Extended essay”. For those subjects that do not have an OCC page, some exemplars can be found under “Diploma Programme core” on the “Extended essay” page.


mailto:[email protected]




https://ibpublishing.ibo.org/extendedessay/apps/dpapp/guide.html?doc=d_0_eeyyy_gui_1602_1_e&part=7&chapter=1




As the nature of the extended essay task does not change, subject reports are not produced during each session unless new problems arise or new subjects are added. Subject reports will next be refreshed after the May 2018 examination session.

A general extended essay report was produced for the May 2015 session and is available on the “Extended essay” page of the OCC. This report outlines common issues across all extended essay submissions and extended essay queries. Coordinators should share the general extended essay report as well as the subject-specific extended essay reports with supervisors to help the preparation of future cohorts.

Extended essays and other assessment componentsAn extended essay is not an extension of the internal assessment task or any other assessed component of a subject, and students must ensure that they understand the clear distinction between the extended essay and other assessment tasks. While there is inevitably some overlap in the skills being developed, there are clear differences, and the extended essay must not be based on the same data collected for another assessment component or share significant secondary sources.

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that his or her extended essay does not overlap with any other work he or she is preparing for assessment in other components. Supervisors play an important role in guiding students on this matter by ensuring that students understand the different requirements of the task, including:

• the presentation of material: the extended essay is modelled on an academic piece of writing

• the different assessment criteria for the tasks

• the different recommendations with regard to the use of both existing sources of information and their own data collection.

Extended essays should, where appropriate to the subject and according to the guidance given, include some evidence of consultation with secondary sources in order to establish the context and worthiness of the topic under study. The balance between the use of existing sources and data collected by the student will depend on the subject, and students should ensure that they have read and understood the relevant subject section of the Extended essay guide.

Students who submit an extended essay using the work of another assessment component, such as an internal assessment task, risk failing their diploma as this is considered a case of academic malpractice.

Extended essay assessment criteriaThe IB was made aware that there was an error in the translation of criterion A in the Spanish version of the Extended essay guide (first exams 2013). The current version of the guide in Spanish stated that the research question must be in the introduction. However, it has been amended to read

that the research question is stated in either the introduction or on the title page. Please note that the English and French versions of the guide are correct.

Criterion A should read as follows.

A: Research question

(Objectives 1 and 2)

T he cr i ter ion assesses the extent to which the purpose of the essay is specified. In many subjects, the aim of the essay will normally be expressed as a question and, therefore, this criterion is called the “research question”. However, certain d is c ip l in e s m ay p e r mi t o r encourage dif ferent ways of formulating the research task.

Achievement

levelDescriptor

0 The research question is not stated in either the introduction or on the title page or does not lend itself to a systematic investigation in an extended essay in the subject in which it is registered.

1 The research question is stated in either the introduction or on the title page, but is not clearly expressed or is too broad in scope to be treated effectively within the word limit.

2 The research question is clearly stated in either the introduction or on the title page and is sharply focused, making effective treatment possible within the word limit.

Examiners of the extended essay in Spanish are aware of this correction and will apply the criterion as indicated by the descriptor outlined here. This error has now been corrected in the Spanish version of the guide.

E-upload of the extended essay—title pagesInformation on the upload process for the EE can be found in the EE section of the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2017 and the relevant eCoursework user guides in the IBIS library and on the OCC. With the shift to anonymized assessment, the EE title page should now only include the research question and the word count. All identifiers must be removed from the title page and body of the essay.



Group 1 extended essaysPlease note that, as expanded upon in the group 1 extended essay chapter, the category 3 option on page 29 of the Extended essay guide should read:

Category 3: studies in language based on a text(s) originally produced in the language in which the essay is presented.

Clarification of word counts in Chinese for extended essaysWord processing software when typing in Chinese is likely to include the number of characters and punctuation. Teachers and students are asked not to include punctuation in the word count for assessed work. The word count should only take into account the number of characters typed.

Clarification of word counts in Korean for extended essaysIt has come to our attention that there is currently a discrepancy in the word/character count used by individual schools for written work in Korean for the Diploma Programme courses.

The IB would like to confirm that the official Korean word count will be based on number of words, not characters, and the rate of 1 word = 1 Korean word, counted by spaces (that is, as words would be counted by a word processing programme) should be used.

This conversion rate is applicable to all Diploma Programme courses and assessments completed in Korean, including extended essays, and will be enforced from the May 2018 examination session, with any word count penalties specified in the subject guides being applied accordingly. Relevant examination paper rubrics will also be amended to reflect this conversion rate.

Please be advised that the IB is undertaking a systematic review of the word/character count conversions throughout the programmes. Schools will be notified of any changes resulting from this project as the review progresses.

Languages (group 1 and group 2) extended essaysThe category of essay being submitted by each student, for example:

• Group 1: English A, category 2

• Group 2: French B, category 2 (a)

must be selected when uploading the essay.

Clarification of group 2, category 2 “cultural artifacts”The following text clarifies category 2: culture and society (b), “essays of a general cultural nature based on specific cultural artifacts”. Cultural artifacts include anything concrete or tangible that helps to give insight into the target culture and language. Some examples are given in the table.

Written documents The following do not qualify as “cultural artifacts”

• Newspapers

• Magazines

• News headlines

• Articles

• Books (other than literary)

• Cartoons

• Adverts

• Leaflets, brochures or manifestos

• Laws or policies

• Historical documents or records

• Political events (elections, referendums)

• Historical events

• Social movements (for example, riots)

• Social issues (unemployment, immigration, racism, school violence, the role of women in X country, and so on)

• Towns or regions (“travel guide” extended essays)

• (Minority) Ethnic groups

• Media trends

• Styles of music

• Sports

• Traditions

• Institutions (school systems, political parties, and so on)

Spoken documents

• Screenplays

• Radio or television programmes

• Song lyrics

• Interviews

Visual documents

• Works of fine art

• Architecture (buildings, monuments, and so on)

• Films

• Stamps

Cultural icons

• Fashion items and accessories (as a manifestation of culture)

• Food items, dishes (as a manifestation of culture)

• Brands (as a manifestation of culture)



Theory of knowledgeAssessmentTheory of knowledge essayCoordinators are reminded that a new set of six prescribed titles for theory of knowledge (TOK) is published for each examination session. Prescribed titles are published on the OCC on 1 September for the following May and 1 March for November of the same year. The prescribed titles are also available in the IBIS library.

Essays not written on one of the prescribed titles for that session will automatically be awarded zero marks.

Theory of knowledge: Planning and progress form (TK/PPF)

The theory of knowledge planning and progress form (TK/PPF) is available as a link in the document titled May 2017—Forms and cover sheets published under Assessment on the online curriculum centre (OCC) TOK page and is also available in the IBIS library.

The completion and submission of the planning and progress form (TK/PPF) is mandatory for all TOK candidates in all schools. Failure to submit this form may result in no grade being issued. Forms must be completed by the candidates and the teachers and then submitted by the coordinator. The deadline for the submission of the form is the same as the deadline for the essay: 15 March (May session) and 15 September (November session). The coordinator must upload the form using the eCoursework option on IBIS.

Theory of knowledge: Presentation planning document (TK/PPD)

The TK/PPD is available as a link in the document titled May 2017—Forms and cover sheets published under Assessment on the OCC TOK page and is also available in the IBIS library.

In response to feedback from schools, an improved version of TK/PPD is now available for first assessment from May 2017. The improved version includes fields to indicate the duration of the presentation and the number of candidates presenting. It also provides clearer guidance to candidates and teachers on how to complete their sections, and the space for each section has been extended slightly. Please note that all IB forms, including the TK/PPD, now have a set font size, so please ignore the requirement stated in the subject guide for the use of standard 12 font size.

On IBISOnce the teacher or coordinator has entered all the candidates’ presentation marks on IBIS, they are required to electronically upload (through the eCoursework option) only the presentation planning documents (TK/PPDs) indicated in the sample generated by IBIS. They must ensure that the document uploaded for each candidate in the sample corresponds to the mark that they were awarded as their internal assessment mark on IBIS.

If more than one candidate selected in the sample has completed the same group presentation, where possible, the coordinator or teacher must use the “Change” button to add a candidate with the same or similar marks that has completed a different presentation.

There is also a requirement to enter the marks out of 10 for each candidate in the sample and an option to provide any additional comments. For TOK, no comments on the marking are required because these are already included on the presentation planning document (TK/PPD).

Assessment samples available on the OCCSamples of candidates’ essays and presentation planning documents (TK/PPD), including examiner comments, have been added to the TSM published on the OCC. Samples of the planning and progress form (TK/PPF) have also been added in the “Sample student essay” section.

Predicted gradesIn order to predict grades, teachers must use the grade descriptors published on the “Theory of knowledge” page of the OCC under “Assessment” entitled Grade descriptors (for use from September 2014/January 2015). Teachers must refrain from trying to calculate equivalencies between the assessment instrument and the A–E grades. Grade boundaries are not fixed in TOK; they are reviewed every session at the grade award meeting and therefore subject to change.

Creativity, activity, serviceCoordinators and supervisors are reminded that they should now be using the CAS guide for students graduating in 2017 and thereafter, available on the OCC.

The guide and TSM have been in effect since September 2015.

Please note that “creativity, action, service” became “creativity, activity, service” as of September 2015. The procedure for approving CAS programmes has been incorporated into the new global school authorization processes. CAS implementation will be evaluated every five years. The Creativity, activity, service guide (for students graduating in 2017 and thereafter) details the self-study process as well as evaluation procedures and is supported by the Self-study questionnaire: Diploma Programme document on the OCC.

Languages

Clarification of word counts in Chinese for studies in language and literature and language acquisition DP coursesWord processing software when typing in Chinese is likely to include the number of characters and punctuation. Teachers and students are asked not to include punctuation in the word count for assessed work. The word count should only take into account the number of characters typed.



Clarification of word counts in Korean for studies in language and literature and language acquisition DP coursesIt has come to our attention that there is currently a discrepancy in the word/character count used by individual schools for written work in Korean for the Diploma Programme courses.

The IB would like to confirm that the official Korean word count will be based on number of words, not characters, and the rate of 1 word (as published in the guides) = 1 Korean word, counted by spaces (that is, as words would be counted by a word processing programme) should be used.

This conversion rate is applicable to all Diploma Programme courses and assessments completed in Korean, including extended essays, and will be enforced from the May 2018 examination session, with any word count penalties specified in the subject guides being applied accordingly. Relevant examination paper rubrics will also be amended to reflect this conversion rate.

Please be advised that the IB is undertaking a systematic review of the word/character count conversions throughout the programmes. Schools will be notified of any changes resulting from this project as the review progresses.

Studies in language and literatureThe document, Studies in language and literature curriculum review: First report to teachers, has been completed on the progress of the curriculum review for studies in language and literature. The report can be found on the OCC.

Language A: literature/literature and performance—notice of works studied formFrom May 2016, schools will no longer be required to submit the form Language A: literature/literature and performance—notice of works studied for the language A: literature and literature and performance courses. Only students taking the language A: literature school supported self-taught course need to submit the Language A: literature—notice of works studied (part 2 genres) form on IBIS.

Language A: literature written assignmentSchools are advised that the language A: literature written assignment will be treated as a common component for SL and HL from May 2016 for assessment purposes.

Language A: language and literature paper 1The language A: language and literature paper 1 will be produced in full colour where necessary from May 2016.

Language A: literature school supported self-taughtThe document Language A: literature school supported self-taught alternative oral assessment procedures (updated September 2015) outlines alternative oral assessment procedures. It is available on the OCC.

The language A: literature school supported self-taught oral commentary questions for the 2018 examination sessions (May and November) are available on the OCC. Please note that this set of questions is specific to the 2018 examination sessions. Students registered for the 2017 examination sessions must use the questions published on the OCC for that year.

The formal oral commentary is a close literary analysis of the passage or poem. In preparing for each of the ten questions for the two works studied, it is expected that students will pay attention to the ways in which literary features such as language, style, tone and voice create particular effects.

Withdrawal of coversheets for language B and language ab initio written assignmentsFrom November 2015, candidates are no longer required to submit a coversheet to accompany their written assignments for language B or language ab initio.

Classical languages guideAmendments to the Classical languages guide (first examinations: May 2016)Coordinators and teachers are reminded of the amendments made to the Classical languages guide listed in previous issues of the DP Coordinator’s notes. The amended version is available in PDF and HTML formats on the OCC.

Clarification of the word count for HL paper 2 section BThe Classical languages guide does not mention any word limit for the HL paper 2 section B and clearly describes the two criteria according to which answers are assessed. Some teachers are rightly concerned by the prescriptive way that the question has been formulated in the specimen papers. This wording has been rectified, and future papers will bear the instruction: “Give a written response of indicatively no more than 300 words”. This should be taken as a hint and a helpful suggestion so that students do not spend too much time writing overambitious answers.

Clarification of the use of sources for the individual study research dossierSchools are advised to consider the following quotation from the Classical languages teacher support material, under the heading “Individual study”, which clarifies both the definition of a primary source and how students may incorporate secondary source material into their dossiers.



P r i m a r y s o u r c e s r e f e r t o those which are the product of classical antiquity, either textual or material. For example, quotations from a classical text, architectural plans of a Roman temple, inscriptions from tombs or photographs of Greek vases are all primary sources. A Renaissance painting of a scene from classical mythology i s n o t a p r i m a r y s o u r c e . However, students may still use Renaissance interpretations of classical material in their annotations as they would use secondary literature, to support their analysis.

Individuals and societies

Business managementCoordinators and teachers of business management should refer to the February 2016 edition of DP Coordinator’s notes for additional guidance on the new course of study for business management, which was first assessed in the May 2016 examination session. The latest version of the subject guide is dated November 2015 and is available on the OCC.

Coordinators are reminded that schools should continue to provide each candidate with a clean copy of the formulae sheet for SL and HL paper 1 and paper 2 examinations. Candidates do not require a copy of the discount table that appears in the appendices of the guide. If the discount table is required in order to answer a question, a copy will be provided in the examination paper. Similarly, candidates must not be given an example of how to present a balance sheet/profit and loss account for the examination. Candidates must be familiar with the presentation prior to the examination. Teachers are also reminded that there is a different case study for each examination session. The case study is published on the OCC about three months before the written examinations in May.

EconomicsIn the interest of ensuring that we deliver a course that is fit for purpose, the economics curriculum review will be taking an extension. This will allow time to review key elements within the proposed framework, carry out an effective assessment trial and explore options for onscreen assessment. The revised timeline to produce a new guide is now first teaching 2020 with first assessment 2022.

From 2017, there is a new form to accompany the economics internal assessment, named 3/CSE. This form replaces both the “commentary coversheet” and the “summary portfolio coversheet” that were previously required. An online copy

of the 3/CSE form is available on the online curriculum centre (OCC) in the “May 2017—Forms and cover sheets” document. Whereas the requirement in the past was for each candidate to submit one “summary portfolio coversheet” and three “commentary coversheets” (four forms in total), the requirement from May 2017 onwards is for each candidate to submit one 3/CSE form only to accompany their portfolio.

Global politicsFollowing a successful three-year pilot with 30 DP schools, global politics is an exciting new addition to the individuals and societies subject group. The course offers students an opportunity to explore fundamental political concepts such as power, liberty and equality in a range of contexts and at a variety of levels.

The global politics course became available at both HL and SL as a mainstream subject for first teaching in September 2015 and first assessment in May 2017. Global politics will also be available in November sessions at both levels, as of November 2017.

Note: Global politics will be available by special request in both French and Spanish in a May session and, also by special request, in Spanish in a November session. Where a school intends to register candidates for global politics in French or Spanish as a response language, the DP coordinator must make a registration request on IBIS at least 18 months before the written examinations.

A website for global politics is available via the “Global politics” page on the OCC, where teachers can find the guide and substantial TSM. Face-to-face and online work shops for global polit ics are also now being offered. The online directory of workshops is available at www.ibo.org/professional-development/.

For further questions on global politics, please contact the IB Diploma Development team at [email protected]. Based on the experiences of the pilot, the IB looks forward to seeing an enthusiastic response to this new subject from DP schools.

HistoryExaminations from May 2017The first examinations for the new history course will take place in May 2017. This course incorporates a number of changes that teachers and coordinators should now be aware of. Coordinators should particularly take note that in the new course there is no longer a distinction between route 1 and route 2 history. Instead, there is a single DP history course offering a wider variety of different topics and options. When registering candidates for the examinations for this new course it is no longer necessary to identify the prescribed subject for paper 1. The only information that is required is as follows:

• SL history

• HL history of Africa and the Middle East


http://ibo.org/professional-development/



• HL history of the Americas

• HL history of Asia and Oceania

• HL history of Europe

Finally, since the initial publication of the history specimen examination papers at the end of 2015, there have been some refinements to the layout of paper 1. The paper has been redesigned to make it easier for candidates to use in the examination; however, neither the content nor the expectations of the examination have changed, only the way in which it is presented to candidates. As such, it is very important that candidates have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the layout prior to the examination. A new specimen version of paper 1 with its markscheme and source booklet can be found on the OCC.

Information technology in a global societySL paper 1 and HL paper 1The following changes to SL paper 1 and HL paper 1 are in effect from the May 2016 examination session.

• ITGS SL paper 1 has changed from 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes in length and requires candidates to answer any two questions out of four questions. The nature of the questions has not changed.

• ITGS HL paper 1 remains at 2 hours 15 minutes. Candidates are required to answer three questions; two from section A (no change) and one from section B (which was created by merging sections B and C).

Specimen papers with this new format are available on the OCC.

PhilosophyTeachers and candidates should be aware that it is possible for section A of SL/HL paper 1 to feature two passages of text or two images and it is not mandatory that this section features one passage of text and one image.

With effect from May 2016, and as can be seen in the philosophy specimen papers, the paper 2 requirement is that candidates respond to one question that comprises a part a) and a part b) question. Please note that candidates who overlook the rubric requirements and provide one integrated response that is not presented as a part a) response and a part b) response will risk self-penalizing. Each question part assesses distinct skills that will only be rewarded against the appropriate question part. The advice to schools, therefore, is to ensure that in preparing for paper 2, this consideration is taken into account and shared explicitly with candidates.

World religionsAmendments to paper 1 and paper 2 overall mark and markbandsFollowing the February 2016 Coordinator’s notes communication regarding the refinement of paper 1 and paper 2 markbands, a revised version is now available on the OCC.

The changes are implemented to meet examiners’ increasing concern about the difficulty in reaching higher levels of markbands, and to allow for a fairer distribution of marks in the grade boundaries.

As a result of a collaborative effort between subject experts, curriculum and assessment staff, the following was agreed on:

• Paper one: part (b) will now be assessed out of a total of 6 marks instead of 7 marks. This makes the distribution of marks even across each band. Therefore, the total mark for the component is now 45 marks and no longer 50 marks.

• Paper one: part (b) command terms in the papers will be limited to knowledge and understanding and will not require analysis and/or synthesis. “Explain” will be the only command term used in the questions. This will allow candidates to achieve the higher marks. Paper two: descriptors in the markbands will be condensed to five levels (A–E) instead of six (A–F). Markband descriptors were revised to clarify and add some indicators. The five levels are now equally distributed into a total of 15 marks per essay question. Therefore, the total mark for the component is now 30 marks and no longer 40 marks.

• The internal assessment component has not undergone any changes.

• The weightings for each component will remain the same (30% for paper one, 45% for paper two, and 25% for the internal assessment task).

These changes are only for clarification and simplification purposes. Teachers should note that the changes implemented have no effect on the way in which the course should be taught; they are purely to enable the current syllabus content to be assessed more appropriately.

Teachers and coordinators should be informed that the changes detailed above will come into effect from the May 2017 examination session.

Teachers and coordinators are asked to contact IB Answers with any queries or concerns.



Sciences

PhysicsA revised version of the physics specimen papers was released in mid-October 2016. This corrects a number of errors that have been pointed out by teachers on the OCC.

A revised version of the physics data booklet was released in mid-November 2016 for use in first examinations from May 2017. The only change is the addition of formulas for circles and spheres relevant to the teaching and assessment of physics.

Mathematics

May 2017 internal assessment uploadIn the November 2016 examination session, the internal assessment sample for group 5 subjects was, for the first time, uploaded rather than sent by post. The internal assessment will be electronically uploaded and marks entered on IBIS in May 2017. The sample projects/explorations must be those identified by IBIS. The forms (5/PJCS and 5/EXCS) for mathematics internal assessment will no longer be required to be completed by teachers and included in the sample. It is important that relevant background information and comments regarding each criterion are included with the sample. It is recommended that this be incorporated on the work itself and in the comments box on IBIS.

For more information on uploading internal assessment samples in May 2017 please refer to

• the eCoursework newsletter, available on IBIS as a news item and

• the user guide, for using the eCoursework system, available in the user guides section of the IBIS library.

Changes to mathematics HLFrom May 2017, the number of questions on all HL mathematics papers will be reduced by approximately 20%. The IB has taken this action in response to evidence from schools, feedback from students, and analysis of results that suggest that candidates struggle to reach their full potential in these papers.

The number of marks will be reduced to reflect the number of questions on the paper. Papers 1 and 2 will be marked out of 100 and paper 3 will have a maximum mark of 50.

The IB expects the same quality of mathematics and believes that giving students more time to reflect on the questions will enable them to demonstrate more fully their mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding.

No further action is required by schools at this stage. The IB published new specimen examination materials in

September 2016, based on the November 2014 papers. The IB will continue to provide reminders about this change nearer to the May 2017 examination session.

Please send queries to Matthew Glanville, Head of Assessment Principles and Practice, at [email protected].

The arts

Arts subjects: The authentication of courseworkThe planning and progress form for theatre and visual arts has been reviewedWith effect from the May 2016 examination session, there is a requirement for schools to submit a completed planning and progress form for each theatre and visual arts candidate whose work comprises the sample for internal assessment. The mandatory completion of this form for every candidate is intended to strengthen the quality of their coursework, but primarily to assist in confirming the authenticity of each phase of their work. In response to feedback from schools, however, the form has been revised to ensure that the process of authentication more strongly aligns with the delivery of practical arts subjects.

Arts subjects: Revised process for May 2017 onwardsA new form, referred to as the Coursework authentication form (CAF), will be introduced gradually for all DP art subjects, starting with theatre and visual arts.

• For assessment in May and November 2017, either the current planning and progress form or the new CAF will be accepted for both theatre and visual arts.

For assessment from May 2018 onwards, only the CAF will be accepted. Therefore, theatre and visual arts teachers must use the CAF with cohorts who commence first teaching from September 2016. Like the current planning and progress form, the CAF must be used to record three interactions with each candidate at various stages during the creation of their coursework.

One key difference with the CAF, however, is that the teacher completes the authentication form, rather than the student. The authentication of work by candidates is completed on the eCoursework system when submitting the materials for assessment.

The second key difference with the CAF is that it will not be necessary for teachers to authenticate the coursework for every assessment task on the CAF as, by the very practical nature of arts subjects, the creation and progress of candidates’ work for some of the tasks is continually witnessed by teachers. Therefore, not all components will appear on the form. However, it is expected that the teacher will continue to scrutinize the ongoing work of each candidate and seek




assurance that every element of the work is authentic. The authentication of all candidates’ work is required on the eCoursework system when submitting the final materials for assessment.

With effect from May 2019, the completion of a CAF will be mandatory for all DP arts subjects. Therefore, all teachers of DP arts subjects must use the CAF with cohorts who commence first teaching from September 2017.

Furthermore, from May 2019 this form must be submitted for every arts candidate, not just those candidates whose work comprises the sample for internal assessment. Details will appear in the 2018 edition of the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.

Approaching the interactionsThe CAF will be structured to enable teachers to meet with each candidate at three decisive points during the creation of each piece of coursework, one meeting for each stage of inquiry, action and reflection (see What is an IB education? 2013: 5, updated in June 2015). The interactions, which might feasibly be formal meetings or informal discussions in the studio, could be structured as follows.

1. Inquiry stage: Students outline the nature of their work, proposing the methods to be followed or the choices to be made in the early stages of developing the work. Through discussion, teachers may support students in revising or reshaping their plans to best fit their desired intentions. Teachers summarize this discussion and any guidance given on the CAF.

2. Action stage: This is a mid-point meeting to check in on the development of the work being undertaken, to review the direction of travel, scrutinize any materials produced so far and to support students in making decisions about their “next steps”. This might also be an opportunity for students to consider the scope and nature of any “end product”. Teachers summarize this discussion and any guidance given on the CAF.

3. Reflection stage: Teachers review the work completed to date and provide their formal comments on the “one draft” of the work, before each student finalizes their work for submission. Teachers summarize this discussion and any guidance given on the CAF.

Locating the CAF

The new CAF can be found in the IBIS library (coordinator access only) and on the OCC under theatre and visual arts>Assessment>May 2017—Forms and cover sheets (coordinators and teachers).

FilmFilm clarification documentPlease note that a supplementary document called Film assessment clarification is now available on the OCC. This document provides film teachers with further clarifications on each of the assessment components.

MusicMusic listening paper: Prescribed works for 2017, 2018 and 2019The two prescribed works for May and November examination sessions in 2017, 2018 and 2019 are Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto, No. 2 in F Major (BWV 1047) and Zoltán Kodály’s Dances of Galánta.

There are various suitable scores for the Brandenburg Concerto, such as Edition Eulenburg, Bärenreiter Urtext and Dover Publications Sheet Music. A study score and audio package is also available from Eulenburg.

The score for Dances of Galánta is available from Universal Edition (UE34121).

Coordinators are reminded that candidates require a clean copy of the score for each prescribed work during the examination for the music listening paper.

TheatreChanges to Theatre guide from May 2017 onwardsFollowing the first assessment of the theatre course, some adjustments have been made to the guide in order to improve the effectiveness of the assessment process. These updates include:

• Amendments to the wording of assessment criteria

• Minor updates to the assessment task instructions (including academic honesty, authentication and reinforcing the necessary processes for creating work)

• Clarification of subject specific terminology.

The new guide, which will be published on the OCC in February 2017, will affect all theatre assessments from May 2017 onwards. To enable teachers to begin using the updated criteria as soon as possible, a pre-publication draft of the criteria updates for all four of the assessment tasks is now available on the OCC.

Please note that assessment work that has already been completed by candidates will not require any modification as a result of these updates.

There is a new requirement for the authentication of arts subjects’ coursework. Please refer to the information at the beginning of “The arts” section of these notes.



Visual artsVisual arts surveyThe curriculum review for the new visual arts course, scheduled for first teaching in 2022, is in its initial stages. As part of the IB’s ongoing commitment to collaboration and consultation, the IB is looking for feedback from visual arts teachers.

Survey links will be posted on the OCC and sent to DP coordinators to forward to visual arts teachers. The IB kindly requests DP coordinators to support these research efforts and send on the survey links to the appropriate teacher(s), as identified in the cover email.

Changes to Visual arts guide from May 2017 onwardsFollowing the first assessment of the visual arts course some adjustments have been made to the guide in order to improve the effectiveness of the assessment process. These updates include:

• Amendments to the wording of assessment criteria

• Minor updates to the assessment task instructions (including academic honesty and authentication)

• Additions to the art-making forms table to broaden the possible choices.

The new guide, which will be published on the OCC in February 2017, will affect all visual arts assessments from May 2017 onwards. To enable teachers to begin using the updated criteria as soon as possible, a pre-publication draft of the criteria updates for all three assessment tasks is now available on the OCC.

Please note that assessment work that has already been completed by candidates will not require any modification as a result of these updates.

Until the publication of the new Visual arts guide, coordinators are reminded that visual arts teachers should be using the Visual arts guide (first examinations 2016) available on the OCC.

Due to a publishing error in an earlier iteration of the guide, teachers are asked to ensure that the DP Visual arts guide being used to deliver the new course (first examinations 2016) is marked as “Published March 2014” on the copyright page of the guide. This most current guide is available via the OCC. Previous iterations should be disregarded.

Details about the eSubmission for the visual arts course can be found in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2017.

The following points must be noted.

• The two exhibition photographs are mandatory.

• The two additional photographs for each artwork are optional.

• The process portfolio is not the investigation workbook.

• There is a new requirement for the authentication of arts subjects’ coursework. Please refer to the information at the beginning of “The arts” section of these notes.

Marks carried overMarks awarded using the current visual arts assessment model (first assessment May 2016) can be carried over by candidates who wish to retake visual arts: given that there are no examination components in the visual arts course, this applies to the marks of one single component or to the marks of any two out of the three visual arts components.

Please note that, if a candidate wishes to resubmit work for a non-examination component, the candidate must have attended classes at the school where he or she is registered for the retake session. This is because the subject teacher must provide academic guidance, mark work for internal assessment and confirm that all work is authentic.

Retake candidates will not be able to carry over their marks if these were awarded using the old visual arts assessment model (last examination November 2015). This is due to the completely different structure of the assessment model in the new visual arts course (first assessment 2016). Candidates retaking the examination will be able to use the same work but will have to submit it to comply with the requirements of the new guide. The new Visual arts guide and the TSM for the new course are available on the OCC. Coordinators must ensure that teachers are aware of the new requirements.

Academic honestyCompliance with the academic honesty requirements is still an area of concern in the visual arts course, and teachers must remind candidates that referencing and acknowledging the ideas and work of others (text or images) is an academic honesty requirement.

Teachers need to be reminded of the following points and offer guidance to candidates on referencing. Please also share with teachers and candidates the publication available on the OCC entitled Effective citing and referencing.

• Overall, there should be clarity for the reader/examiner when they are reading or viewing the ideas of the student rather than those of others.

• In the visual arts, candidates’ materials submitted for assessment, both images and texts, should be properly referenced at the point of use, in addition to their inclusion in the required list of sources for the comparative study.

• Candidates should include clear captions for images that include the artist, dates, title and materials, as well as the source of all the images.

• All candidates’ artwork that refers to other artworks must include reference to the original source in the exhibition text or in the comparative study or process portfolio texts.

• When another person’s work, ideas or images have influenced the candidate’s piece(s), the source must be included as a bibliographic reference within the exhibition



text or in the process portfolio or comparative study text. Any image taken from the internet and used as inspiration by candidates when creating their work must be appropriately referenced.

• Where students are deliberately appropriating another artist’s image, the exhibition text or the text accompanying the candidate’s work in other components must acknowledge the appropriation process, referencing the original artwork as well as the source of the image.

• Failing to appropriately acknowledge sources could potentially lead to an investigation for breach of regulation, which could have serious consequences for candidates.

Legalization of Diploma Programme results

Instructions for 2017BackgroundIn some countries, the IB document Diploma Programme Results needs to be legalized in Geneva, Switzerland by the relevant chancellery, embassy and/or consulate to be valid for entrance to universities.

It is the responsibility of the DP coordinator to inform candidates of this requirement. The legalization of IB diplomas takes place at the IB Foundation Office in Geneva, Switzerland after each examination session.

Note: two different IB documents exist.

• IB Diploma Programme Results: The International Baccalaureate always legalizes the Diploma Programme Results document showing the results that the candidate obtained.

• IB Diploma which only shows the candidate’s name, and is legalized only in exceptional circumstances when specifically required.

In some cases, certain universities in Argentina, Mexico and Egypt may require the legalization of the Diploma itself in addition to the Diploma Programme Results.

Legalization requestsIf legalization is requested through IBIS by the coordinator, the IB Global Centre in Cardiff, UK will send to the IB Foundation Office in Geneva, Switzerland the relevant Diploma Programme Results documents, showing the grades obtained by the candidates. The corresponding Diplomas are sent to schools for the attention of coordinators who should retain them until they receive the legalized documents to send together later to individual candidates.

Coordinators must provide the IB Foundation Office with the names and codes of those candidates who wish to have their Diploma Programme Results document legalized. This should be done by completing the Legalization request form on IBIS from the “Candidate/results/legalization” option and submitting it to the IB Foundation Office before 15 June (May session) or 15 December (November session). Coordinators are asked to submit the Legalization request form as early as possible to ensure timely processing of the request. After the deadline, school coordinators must contact [email protected].

When completing the Legalization request form, the legalization request for the Diploma Programme Results document is automatically registered on IBIS.

The legalization of the Diploma document itself, which only displays the candidate’s name, is usually not required. Should the candidate wish to have the Diploma document legalized as well, it must be specified on IBIS, changing the option “Legalize Diploma?” from “No” to “Yes”.

Legalization requests for retake candidates are not automatically registered from one to another exam session. Legalization requests for retake candidates must be submitted again for the examination session in which the candidate takes the retake examination.

When the IB coordinator enters a candidate’s name on IBIS, it must be spelled in the same way as the name on the candidate’s passport. If this is not the case, the consulates will refuse to legalize the IB Diploma documentation.

The following countries demand copies of passports: Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Iran, Italy, Palestine and Saudi Arabia (see list of special cases below).

Copies of passports should be submitted with the Legalization request form on IBIS via email to [email protected] and/or sent immediately to: International Baccalaureate Foundation Of f ice, Legalization Service, 15 route des Morillons, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, Geneva, Switzerland, by courier. The direct telephone number of the IB legalization service in Geneva is +41223092545. On receipt of the Legalization request form, an acknowledgment will be sent to the school via email.

Diploma Programme Course Results for candidates who do not obtain the Diploma, will not be legalized unless this is specifically requested on IBIS.

Legalized Diploma Programme Results by courierAfter legalization, legalized Diploma Programme Results documents will be mailed to the appropriate schools by special courier service. Therefore, the Legalization request form should be completed with the school telephone number and mailing address (not a PO box number) for delivery. It will then be the responsibility of the coordinators to distribute the documents to their students.





Please note that the IB will bear the costs of the courier service to schools provided that the deadline stated above is met. If it is not, the documents will be sent to schools by registered airmail, unless coordinators advise otherwise; in which case, any extra costs will be charged to the relevant school.

In the interest of the candidates requesting legalization, and given the strict deadlines to enroll in universities, the legalization service makes every effort to expedite the legalization process, in a short timescale. However, this is largely dependent on the external stakeholders involved.

Payment of legalization fees 20171. The standard fee for the legalization of each single IB

diploma document will be as shown in the table below, which is listed among the scale of fees in the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme.

2. The fee shown in the table above will be charged for each single IB diploma document requiring legalization: the Diploma, the Diploma Programme Results, the Diploma Programme Course Results and/or the extra certificate (for example, if a UK student requires legalization of both the Diploma and the Diploma Programme Results, a fee of £190.00 (95.00 x 2) will be charged).

Notes:

1. Legalization requests for one, two or more “apostille” countries, shown with an asterisk on the list of “Countries concerned” below, will be invoiced only once, as one Apostille Stamp covers all the mentioned countries.

2. Legalization requests for the “consulate countries” will be invoiced as many times as legalization requests for a single different country are made.

3. For all the legalization requests registered after the deadline of 15 June/15 December, the “after the deadline” fee will be applied.

Coordinators should collect the standard fee from candidates requiring the legalization service in advance and retain it. The IB will send invoices for legalization fees to the schools

concerned as soon as possible after the legalization process is completed. Payment should be made only on receipt of this invoice.

Countries concernedThe following is a list of countries for which legalization has been required in past years. Requirements may be imposed by other countries in the future.

Argentina*

Armenia*

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina*

Brazil*

Bulgaria*

Burkina Faso

Chile*

Colombia*

Costa Rica*

Croatia*

Cyprus*

Czech Republic*

Ecuador*

Egypt

El Salvador*

Estonia*

Georgia*

Greece*

Guatemala

Indonesia

Iran

Israel*

Italy*

Jamaica

Jordan

Kazakhstan*

Latvia*

Lebanon

Lithuania*

Macedonia*

Malta*

Mexico*

Montenegro*

Nigeria

Pakistan

Palestine

Panama*

Paraguay*

Peru*

Philippines

Poland*

Portugal*

Romania*

Russia*

Saudi Arabia

Serbia*

Singapore

Slovakia*

Slovenia*

Spain*

South Korea*

Sudan

Syria

Taiwan

Thailand

The Netherlands*

Turkey*

United Arab Emirates

Ukraine*

Uruguay*

Venezuela*

USD CHF GBP EUR SGD

Legalization fee for legalization requests received before the deadline

Legalization of each IB diploma and/or of each consulate country (request received before 15 June/ 15 December)

163.00 199.00 95.00 115.00 191.00

Legalization fee for legalization requests received after the deadline

Legalization of each IB diploma document and/or of each consulate country (request received after 15 June/ 15 December)

244.00 296.00 143.00 172.00 285.00



*The Apostille Stamp (as per The Apostille Convention, The Hague, 5 October 1961), replaces legalization by the consulate and one Apostille Stamp covers each of the countries indicated with an asterisk in the list above.

Special casesArgentina: The IB Diploma is not accepted in all universities in Argentina. It is only accepted in some private universities. Before requesting legalization for this country, it is recommended for students who wish to enroll in Argentinian universities to contact the Argentinian Secretariat of Education of the Ministry of Education. The relevant email address is [email protected] and the contact person is Professor Maria Carmen Belber. If registration with the IB Diploma at the Argentinian university is accepted, the legalization of both the Diploma and the Diploma Programme Results documents is required.

Burkina Faso: A photocopy of the candidate’s passport is required.

Egypt: Some universities in Egypt may require legalization of both the Diploma and the Diploma Programme Results documents. It is the responsibility of the candidate to check with the university.

Iran: A certified photocopy of the candidate’s passport is required. National candidates living in Iran must first have the copies of their passports certified at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Tehran. National candidates living abroad must first have the copies of their passport certified at the Consulate of Iran in the country where they live. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and/or consulates will validate the copies of the passports and send them to the Consulate of Iran in Bern, Switzerland. An email confirmation must be sent to the legalization service of the IB Foundation Office in Geneva, Switzerland, at [email protected], to be able to process the legalization at the consulate of Iran in Bern.

Italy: A photocopy of the candidate’s passport is required. The consulate of Italy in Geneva only issues Italian attestations and/or declarations of value for candidates that have obtained the IB Diploma. This consulate will not issue the above mentioned documents for Diploma Programme Course Results. Universities in Italy may require translation of the Diploma Programme Results document into Italian by a registered translator. It is the responsibility of the candidate to comply with this requirement.

Mexico: Some universities in Mexico may require legalization of both the Diploma and the Diploma Programme Results documents. It is the responsibility of the candidate to check with the university.

Palestine: A photocopy of the candidate’s passport is required.

Saudi Arabia: A photocopy of the candidate’s passport is required.

Singapore: Not all the universities in Singapore require legalization of the Diploma Programme Results. Students must check with the university.

South Korea: Not all the universities in South Korea require legalization of the Diploma Programme Results. Students must check with the university.

The Netherlands: Not all the universities in the Netherlands require legalization of the Diploma Programme Results. Students must check with the university.

Individual legalization requests throughout the yearAt any time of the year, legalization requests from previous examination sessions can be requested from the IB Foundation Office in Geneva, at the email address [email protected]. These requests can be made by the IB coordinators of the schools and/or by individual candidates.

The IB Foundation Office in Geneva advises schools and/or individuals on the procedure to follow and on the fees to be paid for the legalization process. The “after the deadline” legalization fee is to be applied. The fees are published in this issue of the DP Coordinator’s notes as well as the Handbook of procedures for the Diploma Programme 2017.

If the request comes directly from an IB school, the IB Foundation Office in Geneva legalizes the diploma documentation and sends it back to the school. The school is invoiced afterwards.

If the request comes from the candidates themselves, IB Foundation Office informs them of the procedure to follow and that legalization fees need to be paid by bank transfer to the IB bank account. The IB Diploma documentation is only legalized and sent back to the student after IB Foundation Office has received proof of payment.

The legalized documents are mailed by courier service to the schools or candidates if they agree to pay for this service. Otherwise, the documents are returned by registered airmail.

For further information, please contact the IB legalization service at [email protected].

Last updated February 2017. Please regularly check for any changes on IBIS.







DP curriculum development and review cycles

Subject First teaching of new syllabus September/

January

Last assessments of old course

First assessments of new course

Group 1—Studies in language and literature

Language A: literature 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021

Language A: language and literature 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021

Group 2—Language acquisition

Language B 2018/19 November 2019 May 2020

Language ab initio 2018/19 November 2019 May 2020

Classical languages 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Group 3—Individuals and societies

Business management 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Economics 2020/21 November 2021 May 2022

Geography 2017/18 November 2018 May 2019

Global politics 2015/16 N/A May 2017

History 2015/16 November 2016 May 2017

ITGS 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Philosophy 2014/15 November 2015 May 2016

Psychology 2017/18 November 2018 May 2019

Social and cultural anthropology 2017/18 November 2018 May 2019

World religions 2023/24 November 2024 May 2025

Group 4—Sciences

Biology 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Chemistry 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Design technology 2022/23 November 2023 May 2024

Physics 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Sports, exercise and health science 2016/17 November 2017 May 2018

Computer science 2020/21 November 2021 May 2022



Subject First teaching of new syllabus September/

January

Last assessments of old course

First assessments of new course

Group 5—Mathematics

Further mathematics HL 2019/20 May 2020 May 2021

Mathematical studies SL 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021

Mathematics SL 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021

Mathematics HL 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021

Group 6—The arts

Dance 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021

Film 2017/18 November 2018 May 2019

Music 2018/19 November 2019 May 2020

Theatre 2021/22 November 2022 May 2023

Visual arts 2022/23 November 2023 May 2024

Core

Creativity, activity, service 2015/16 November 2016 May 2017

Extended essay 2016/17 November 2017 May 2018

Theory of knowledge 2020/21 November 2021 May 2022

Interdisciplinary subjects

Environmental systems and societies 2015/16 November 2016 May 2017

Literature and performance 2019/20 November 2020 May 2021


IB AnswersFor all queries about programme implementation/ authorization.

IBanswers [email protected]

IB workshops catalogueA catalogue of IB workshops and resources for 2017.

ecatalogue.ibo.org/t/35963

PD online workshopsAn online workshops calendar.

ibo.org/en/professional-development/find-events-and-workshops/

Digital toolkitThis digital toolkit contains a wide range of freecommunications materials.

ibo.org/en/digital-toolkit/

IB newslettersIB Global News—Subscribe to receive the latest news and developments from the IB in this monthly newsletter. Read about IB programme development, latest research, professional development opportunities, conferences, IB community stories, and much more. Do you have a story to tell about your students, teachers or school? Do you want to write about the latest trends in international education? Please send stories and ideas to [email protected].

IB in Practice—We send this newsletter five times each year to IB coordinators, members of the IB Educator Network (IBEN) and examiners. The content focuses on IB teaching practice and provides current details on IB curriculum, assessment and programme news. We

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IB educators whose contact details are not stored in the three points above can subscribe by emailing [email protected].

*Each My School profile is built and maintained by the individual profile holder.

Heads Up—We send this newsletter three times each year exclusively to IB heads of school, using their contact information from the My School system.

The IB store has moved

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Visitors to the IB store are redirected to a new store—the Follett IB Store. The IB community will find all IB publications, programme and curriculum support materials, exam papers, digital resources, posters and merchandise at the new online store.

Check ibo.org/new-store/ for more information.


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coordinator’s notes - ib documents documents/coordinators... · 2019-06-29 · coursework into...

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